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Anakin stepped closer to Dooku. The Sith Lord's smile grew.

"Do you pledge yourself to the ways of the dark side?" he questioned.

Anakin was so very tempted to say no. But that wouldn't help his Padawan. He sighed in defeat and opened his mouth... and was hit by a wave of Force energy so strong, it knocked him off his feet. He looked up and saw Dooku sprawled on the floor halfway across the room.

If Dooku didn't do that... then who did? Anakin got up and looked around. He saw Ahsoka, hand outstretched, leaning against the wall for support, but upright.

Ahsoka did that? But.. the Force poison!

Dooku looked just as shocked as Anakin felt. He masked his surprise with a snarl. "Brave, but foolish young Padawan." He raised his own hand and sent a stream of Force-lightning at her.

Anakin leaped forward to block it with his lightsaber, but Dooku Force-pushed him back. He was forced to watch as the lightning shot at Ahsoka. Anakin thought he saw a hint of a smile on Ahsoka's face. She used the Force to absorb the energy, then sent it back at Dooku.

Anakin stared in disbelief. The only Jedi he knew of that could do that was Master Yoda and he was the Grand Master of the Order. Ahsoka was a Padawan, and a young one at that.

The Sith's expression would have been comical- if it weren't so terrifying. He sent more lightning at Ahsoka, who forced it back in a deadly loop.

Anakin saw the fierce look on Ahsoka's face waver. She's getting tired. He shook himself out of his shocked state and raised his lightsaber to help her.

No, Ahsoka thought to him. It seemed she couldn't talk anymore.

Anakin looked quizzically at Ahsoka. She shook her head and gave him a look that clearly said 'don't help me.'

Typical Ahsoka. Always thinking she could do things by herself. Once again, he wasn't going to listen to her.

He took a single step towards Dooku- and found himself on the ground again.

Ahsoka had Force-pushed him away. With the other hand, she continued to block Dooku's lightning.

You are fighting with anger, Master, Ahsoka sent to him through the Force. Anger does not win battles. The dark side isn't stronger.

Anakin blinked in surprise. Ahsoka had never really cared that he walked the dark path more than most Jedi. Why should she start now?

Ahsoka overloaded Dooku's defences and he was engulfed in his own Force-lightning. He ceased his attack and the lightning stopped.

The Sith Lord stared at Ahsoka, then at Anakin. He glared at them, then dissapeared out the door.

Anakin's first instinct was to follow him. He turned to motion to Ahsoka, but to his horror, she had crumpled to the ground. He remembered Dooku's words.

The Virdix is poisonous to her kind. She is dying.

It had never occurred to him that the poison would remain even when she got the Force back. Or that she would use the Force to make up for her weakness...

Anakin made a quick decision. Dooku could be captured some other time. Ahsoka would not live again. He ran to Ahsoka's side. She looked worse than before. She looked at him weakly.

I can walk, she said to him through the Force, seeing the question in his eyes. Anakin didn't want to agree, she looked like she was about to collapse again, but if he carried her, he'd never hear the end of it. He simply offered her a hand.

As they made their way down the corridors, Anakin noticed Ahsoka was limping as well. He was about to enquire about what happened when she stopped short.

Do you sense that?

"Sense what?"

That! Ahsoka threw herself out of the way, taking Anakin with her.

For the third time that day, Anakin picked himself off the floor. "What was that..." he spotted the scorch mark on the wall where his head had been a second ago and trailed off. He whirled around to find Recko Mindar standing behind him, blaster in hand.

"Now, which one of you should I kill first," he hissed. "You, or the shrimp?"

"Oh, it's you," Anakin said. "I was hoping for a challenge."

Mindar snarled and raised a new weapon- a lightwhip. He sent it flying and it snaked through the air to tangle with Anakin's lightsaber. As hard as Anakin tried, he could not pull it free. With his free hand, Mindar raised his blaster. Anakin thought frantically for something to help him

Ahsoka's lightsabers! Anakin had forgotten he had them. He pulled one off his belt just in time to block the shot and send it back at the bounty hunter.

Frozen on the bounty hunter's face was an expression of pure shock as the bolt slammed into his heart. He toppled to the ground.

Funny how a weapon can so easily be turned against you, Anakin mused.

He left the bounty hunter's body and ran to check on Ahsoka. In the few minutes the battle with Mindar had lasted, she seemed to have gotten worse still. She still managed to smile at him, though.

Would you stop getting sidetracked? I thought we were trying to get out of here. The whole separatist army is probably waiting for us.

Anakin scowled at her and helped her to her feet again.

By the time they reached the exit, they had passed two squads of droids. Outside, Anakin could see the ship, but it was surrounded by battle droids.

Told you, Ahsoka sent to him, but it seemed to take up energy to do that. Her breath was coming in shallow gasps and Anakin's worry escalated.

"Let me take care of the droids," he said. He forced a smile. "Don't go anywhere." Ahsoka didn't answer. She slumped against the wall, eyes closed.

Anakin crept closer to the ship and calculated the odds. Twenty to one. They seem to be outnumbered.

He leaped into action, slicing three droids in half before the others noticed anything. Two more were turned to scrap before they could raise their weapons. Six more fell before they could fire. More than half the squad was gone before the first shot was fired. Ten seconds later, all of them lay in a heap on the ground. Well, that wasn't so hard.

Then he heard the bombers.

Ahsoka tried again to stand up, but like before, she failed. She could hardly move, much less stand. She felt herself slipping back into darkness.

Footsteps approached. "Ahsoka." Her Master tried again. "Ahsoka!"

'Go on without me,' she tried to say. 'If you wait for me, we are both going to get killed.' But as before, her mouth wouldn't work.

But Anakin seemed to sense what she was trying to say. "I'm not leaving you," he said firmly. He lifted her up and started back to the ship.

Ahsoka was more than a little embarrassed at being carried like a baby. But she was too tired to protest. She was relieved when he finally set her down. He left her for a minute and she figured he was getting them off of the planet.

A blast rocked the small ship and it snapped sideways. For several minutes, the craft was battered from all sides. To Ahsoka, it felt like being struck by lightning. At last, the rattling stopped. A second later Anakin entered the room.

"Sorry, the separatist blockade seemed to feel the need to give us an unfriendly sendoff." He looked at her seriously. "How are you?"

If I don't make it, I just want to say I'm sorry... for what happened... before.

From the look on Anakin's face, he knew instantly what she was talking about. "Ahsoka, that wasn't your fault. It was the Son's. And mine."

Ahsoka closed her eyes. I'm sorry.

Anakin stiffened beside her. "Hang on... Snips."

Ahsoka was jarred back from the brink of unconsciousness. Snips. He hadn't called her that since...

Snips.

It wasn't as if that nickname had any real meaning besides giving a name on her attitude. But Anakin had called her that since the day she had first became his Padawan. It almost symbolized the bond between them. A bond bent, but not torn, no matter what Dooku said.

If he could still trust her after all that, she could hang on for him.

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